AT&T Park: A Landscape That Millions Call Home
There are many structures and landscapes scattered around the world. From the Eiffel tower in France to Central Park in New York, people wait their entire lives to be able visit to these landmarks. Among notable structures is the ever-famous AT&T Park of San Francisco. AT&T Park was built in 2000 to give the San Francisco Giants their own stadium, but ended up serving as a home for millions of people. The stadium was designed by HOK Sport by bringing out iconic features of other Major League stadiums and combining them to give AT&T Park its own identity. The results were better than anyone could have ever expected and a dream was born. AT&T Park is not just a stadium to Giants fans and San Francisco, but a monumental structure that exemplifies architectural genius, shapes the surrounding culture of the city, and is an integral piece to society.
The Giants originally played in New York’s Polo Grounds from 1911 until 1957, which was located in Manhattan. The ballpark was constructed of steel and concrete, which was the growing trend of many Major League teams during the early 1900’s and continues still today. This was in large part due to the industrialization movement that was beginning to streamline across America allowing Major League teams to transition from the old wooden ballparks of the late 1800’s to a solid structure using steel. Steel also allowed for better seating within the ballpark. Grandstands, multi-tiered seats, were now able to be built and accommodate the greater audiences wishing to attend the games. The Polo Ground’s seating more than doubled within that same year from 16,000 to 34,000 seats. The additional seating was due in large to the more permanent and sturdy grandstands being built behind home plate and down the first and third base lines. This number grew to nearly 55,000 in 1922 when the Polo Grounds enclosed the outfield with bleacher seating on the lower...